“Did you think I’d forgotten you?”
13 - First… Everything
There was a dark cloud over her head for the next week. She would fall out of bed in the mornings, and go through the routine of washing and dressing, having breakfast, and then heading off to school...
And then she’d see Alexa’s triumphant face, and whoosh! The dark cloud burst overhead, drenching her in a self-pity she had only ever read about.
“I don’t like this,” she muttered to Jaeden during their study period.
“What?”
“This.” She indicated herself dramatically with a wave of her hands. “This person I’ve become... dear goddess, I’m like one of them.” She flicked her pencil at the humans in the room.
Jaeden laughed under her breath. “Caia, it’s called a crush. Believe me, Ryder makes me feel the same horrible mixture of happiness and despair. Add a pinch of lykan volatility and you’ve got yourself the teenage hormonal party from Hades.”
She snorted, but Jaeden’s comforting words of assurance didn’t make her feel any better about the fact that all she had been doing for the last few days was moping about Lucien. Last night at the dinner table she had even been reduced to monosyllabic sentences in his presence.
“I heard Alexa’s been visiting his store after school.” Jaeden twisted her face in disgust.
“Who told you that?”
“Sebastian’s seen her when he’s been coming home from Yvana’s.”
Caia moaned, cupping her chin forlornly in her hand. “I can’t even imagine what my life will be like if he actually mates with her.”
“If who actually mates with whom?” Sebastian whispered, sliding into the seat beside her.
“If Lucien mates with Alexa,” Jaeden answered.
“Why would that bother you, Caia?” Sebastian looked suspicious, pulling his chair closer to hers.
Her heart picked up tempo, as her eyes flew wildly to Jaeden. Sebastian couldn’t know. No one else could.
“Uh.” Jaeden swung her pencil about as she tried to think of something. “Um... oh, because Alexa hates Caia. If she was Lucien’s mate, I mean ... she could cause trouble for her.”
Sebastian smirked and put his arm around Caia’s shoulder, his tawny eyes twinkling as he looked into hers. “You don’t have anything to worry about. I’ll protect you.”
Caia grunted and pulled from his embrace as the bell rang. She gathered her things and stood up before them. “Thanks Sebastian, but no. If the worst comes to the worst... I’ve always wanted to go to China.”
Saturday morning arrived quickly. The nervous energy in the house was at breaking point as Ella flew between Irini’s and Caia’s rooms to make sure their preparations for the mating ritual were going well. Eventually, Caia had decided to leave Irini in the capable hands of her mother and Lucia, who was fixing her hair for her, and stay out of the way in her bedroom. She had changed already, her slender figure wrapped in the dusky pink satin dress they’d chosen. It was floor-length and figure-hugging, creating the illusion that she was taller than she was. She was a little self-conscious of the thin straps and low cowl neckline, but Ella assured her she looked perfect. Lucia had twisted her long, pale hair into a French twist, and placed tiny pink rose buds into the style. She sighed, turning to the side to make sure the dress wasn’t wrinkled from sitting in it. She didn’t care what Ella said, this certainly felt like a bridesmaid dress. Caia turned at the sound of someone clearing their throat, and immediately flushed at the sight of Lucien standing tall and elegant in a dark suit. Oh my, he was handsome, her heart fluttered uncontrollably.
He smiled at her, his eyes drinking her in. She flushed again.
“You look...” he stepped into the room and stopped a few feet from her, his hands jammed casually into his suit trouser pockets. “Wow.” He met her gaze and grinned. “You look beautiful.”
Oh boy, she was sure he must hear her heart thumping rapidly in her chest; she felt like it was going to explode. Did he actually say she looked beautiful? Was he just being polite?
“Thank you,” she managed, and then had to clear her throat when it came out all breathy. Dammit. “So do you.” She flushed again and stammered. “I... I m-m-mean you look nice.”
Lucien laughed and her eyes got caught in his. They weren’t as electrifyingly silver today, more of an intense dark smoke. “Don’t be nervous, Caia.”
“Nervous. Why should I be nervous?”
He shrugged. “Because you’ve never been to one of these before.”
“Oh, right.” She rolled her eyes at her own obtuseness.
“Why aren’t you with all the other females, primping and fawning over Irini?”